Non-forum readers; no ADRs, no TS?

[Bones1389]

I have very little sympathy for the people who think WDW is like their nearest 6 Flags. If anyone goes to WDW expecting it to just be an amusement park with some rides and stuff, they should be expecting no more than counter service because that's what they get at 6 Flags.

ADRs and TS meals are designed for people who are at a resort vacation and want to enjoy great food with their entertainment. The only issue is that Disney uses Free Dining to fill hotel rooms. I think they need more TS restaurants, especially MK. There is room there. Heck, they should turn the Liberty Square Riverboat into a restuarant and the Noodle Terrace has changed so many times, why not refurb it into a Pan-Asian TS or something?

 

[mom2rtk]

You know though, when I make resort reservations, they DO tell me I can make ADR's, but I'm pretty sure they don't tell people they are unlikely to get in at all in certain places without them!

 

[blondietink]

We always eat in our villa except for getting a counter service each day in the park and maybe a snack. So, going this August during FD, I made ressies at 90 days out and was surprised I could not get Le Cellier or Chefs De France. Anyway, we have reservations, although I am going to call 2 weeks out or so and try to change one or two to different times.

IMHOP, the invention of the DP is what has made reservations so difficult to get and walk up tables even more difficult. Yes, they are getting the restaurants full, but gone are the days when you could give a restaurant a call when walking into Epcot and get a dinner that evening. I'm sure this makes a lot of people angry.

 

[scanmom]

we went to Tampa for a few days at the beach. It was planned last minute.. I got a great deal on travelocity for the airfare and hotel on the beach. We decided to drive one day to go to the MK. We did this on a whim, even had to buy our one day tickets at the gate!! I don't usually do things like that, but, oh well. Anyway, we decided to eat at a TS, and called disney dining, and just about everything was full. I had them check all the resorts in the MK area... We really wanted Ohana or WCC. But, we ended up at Tony's, and we really enjoyed it. We never would have tried it otherwise, since it gets iffy reviews here on the DIS. This is an example of how last minute ressies can turn out pretty good! But, we are going for FD in Sep, and I can start making ADR's tomorrow, and I will be doing just that! I don't want a whole trip of places that I may or may not enjoy! For out trip with the kids the week after the 4th of July, I only have 2 ADR's... I am thinking we will be spending a lot of time around the Dolphin pool, and won't want to eat a lot due to the heat. I am planning on using the Boardwalk to Go place for lunches eaten around the pool area! Hope that works!

 

[Stormhawk]

I just can't imagine going on vacation ANYWHERE without doing some research first

^ This. From what I've seen most people tend to make Disney type vacations a significant event, in most cases they're investing enough of their income that you can measure it as an actual percentage (and probably a noticable one if you only count after tax). Even the most cursory research will point out the need for ADRs if a particular event/resturant is important to you. Well before DP popularity, I recall my parents making ADRs for character meals and such when we went in the 80s/early 90s.

Yes it does limit some of the spontaneity, but I've found for all vacations a bit of planning with an attitude that it’s a plan, not a gospel makes for much more fun and much less stress.

Now I just hope I can get all the rest of my family on board with this thought for the grand gathering in 2011

 

[Momarazzi]

Disney virgin here. We planned a trip for September.

I cannot BELIEVE people would spend 2-3 thousand dollars on a trip and not do hours upon hours of research first.

I have never stepped foot on Disney property, however I did my research and I got ADR's for Ohana, Le Cellier, Chef Mickeys, etc. I was up early on my 90 day mark to get what I wanted.

I have educated myself on Disney parks, resorts, food, transportation and pretty much every aspect of Disney. Can I be 100% prepared before I get there? Of course not. But I didn't spend $2,000 to wander around aimlessly and waste our precious time, either.

It baffles me that people would spend that amount of money and go there totally clueless.

Even if I didn't have internet access, I'd be taking advice from the books -- which I have done in addition to these boards. The books say in plain English that you need to book 90 days in advance or else you may be out of luck!

Jennifer

 

[B-Ride]

The first time we went with Free Dining in 2006 it was our first time eating at TS restaurants. When I made my ADRs about 60 days out I felt kind of foolish thinking I was making them way too early. I even got everything I was looking for at the time. Imagine my surprise when we were at the World that year and we heard the stories about Disney swapping TS for 2 CS and a lanyard or something.

The next two times we went I made our reservations at 180 days out and this year right on my 90 day mark. Things have definitely changed.

You would think Disney would see the demand and build some more restaurants. You can't tell me it wouldn't be better use of the space to stick a TS restaurant in where Stich's Great Escape is. Or how about at the Wonders of Life Pavilion. Or maybe another couple of TS restaurants at the culinary wasteland known as DHS.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

You would think Disney would see the demand and build some more restaurants. You can't tell me it wouldn't be better use of the space to stick a TS restaurant in where Stich's Great Escape is. Or how about at the Wonders of Life Pavilion. Or maybe another couple of TS restaurants at the culinary wasteland known as DHS.

LOL, Amen to that!

 

[BuckeyeBelle]

Yes, they are getting the restaurants full, but gone are the days when you could give a restaurant a call when walking into Epcot and get a dinner that evening.

Remember the days when there were video terminals beneath Spaceship Earth, where you spoke live with a dining CM who made your Epcot supper reservations for that evening? Boy, was that a loooong time ago! It was fun, though!

 

[tami82]

I said before that those people probably dont even know there is a big following for certain restaurants and dont make a big deal of it. There are many many other restaurants that are probably very good but not as noticed for whatever reason.

 

[1hero2princesses]

Was there during free dining last year. Discovered DD then 3 was scared to death of characters. Guess who had booked character meals? So off I go to cancel Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace etc. and desperately seek other places. I spent about 3 hours of my vacation with the conceirge, on the cell phone and in the room calling and trying to book adrs other places. There are sit downs available but they are hard to get and may not be convenient to where you are or your most wanted. We got into the Wave, Tony's. I remember they offered me Cape May a lot. You can find something it may not be what you want or when you want but you can sit somewhere. Although this year looks like it might be tougher! We also begged our way into 50's Primetime but that is another story....

 

[goldencontriever3]

We went with my family last August during FD and they all looked at me as if I was nuts when I told them we needed to book adr 90 days out. They are the ones that would expect to go to a place and expect a short wait for a table.

 

[DaParkers]

There's also that group of people that JUST DON'T LISTEN. I went with a friend, his wife and son in 07. I told him that he should start walking now because he will do a lot of it in WDW. I told him to look at the restaurants and choose which one's he wanted to eat at. HE DID NOTHING! He got there and complained the whole time about how tired he was and it was too much walking. I had made ADR's for him and he complained about the food(Boma didn't have enough American food ). If he had done the research, then he would've known what type of food Boma served. So the rest of the week, my wife, my son, and myself enjoyed our dinners while they ate at the Pop Century food court and McDonald's.

 

[tami82]

There's also that group of people that JUST DON'T LISTEN. I went with a friend, his wife and son in 07. I told him that he should start walking now because he will do a lot of it in WDW. I told him to look at the restaurants and choose which one's he wanted to eat at. HE DID NOTHING! He got there and complained the whole time about how tired he was and it was too much walking. I had made ADR's for him and he complained about the food(Boma didn't have enough American food ). If he had done the research, then he would've known what type of food Boma served. So the rest of the week, my wife, my son, and myself enjoyed our dinners while they ate at the Pop Century food court and McDonald's.

Its very hard to go away with friends sometimes. I have done this in the past and it did cause problems a few times. Next time make sure your friends make their own ressies and do their own research.

 

[starann]

I have 2 different friends going in Aug and Sept. The friend in Aug made her ADR's (with me telling her she should due to FD)...she got ADRs for each day, but not all of them were her 1st choice, but she has never been, nor her kids, so they are doing things for the theme (Scifi and so on)

My other friend.....I kept telling her if she wanted CRT (she has 2 girls) she needed to call at 7am the 1st day she could.......she didn't and didn't get in. I've given her the Dis site, all Ears and a Birnbaums book and I'm not sure if she's checked out anything.


Then there is me...we aren't going back until next Sept/Oct and I am already making a sheet of where we will want to eat/stay/do!!!!!

 

[Karlzmom]

My first trip to WDW I didn't know. I did read the guide books, but I had no idea about the dis boards or any others. I'm sure the books recommended making adr's, but I passed right over that point. I also think I didn't have any specific restaurant in mind ahead of time to eat at. It was just whatever was nearby at the time we wanted to eat. We showed up, we got in, we ate. A few waits, but no hassles. Until Ohana. We couldnt get in the night we showed up. It was a shock, finding out there was no way to get in. But we called the adr line and got a resv for the next night! I think we lucked out.
Now we make our adr's asap, but we have been going at free dining!

There is also a world of difference between "recommending" an ADR and telling someone that there will be nothing available if you haven't plotted out every meal months in advance! Our 1st trip, we were clueless...but because we were willing to be flexible with time and place we did get to have a few sit-down meals. The whole ADR thing is sooooo out of hand IMO. Heaven forbid that a person want to make a last minute trip and be able to eat! Even knowing you need to call doesn't fix the "it must be 90 days out" frenzy.

 

[Karpkg]

I have to 2nd making ADR's 90, now 180 days out. I was hoping to make some minor adjustments during the trip so I went to the concierge at the resort- the line was long! People desperately trying to make ADR's for the trip, and overhearing how there were a scattered few but definitely not first line choices...and this was during FD so I kept mine and became grateful I had what I had.

 

[Lizziejane]

my brother would be a prime example of the ill-prepared. He lives in England, and decided to pack up the family in the middle of summer and head over for a couple of weeks. His complaints at the end: the crowds, lack of dining wherever/whenever; and the heat! Well, d-uh!

 

[notaclue]

We just returned last week from Dis with free dining. I always make dinner ADRs but we managed to get into every place we wanted for breakfast and lunch without ADRs. We saw people turned away at Narcoosee's, Rose and Crown, and Chefs de France for dinner. While we were waiting for our ADR at Chefs a woman just walked past the girl at the podium and everyone in line and went into the restaurant to sit down. The manager intercepted her, asked if she had reservations (of course not) so he politely escorted her out. She was not a happy camper about it and her family who did not follow her in seemed very embarrassed.

 

[igk]

We just returned last week from Dis with free dining. I always make dinner ADRs but we managed to get into every place we wanted for breakfast and lunch without ADRs. We saw people turned away at Narcoosee's, Rose and Crown, and Chefs de France for dinner. While we were waiting for our ADR at Chefs a woman just walked past the girl at the podium and everyone in line and went into the restaurant to sit down. The manager intercepted her, asked if she had reservations (of course not) so he politely escorted her out. She was not a happy camper about it and her family who did not follow her in seemed very embarrassed.

How can someone do that? I hope they escorted her out of the park not just the restaurant

I remember before the DDP started, I guess 2000/2001, I had a couple of last-minute trips to WDW, and remember sitting in my hotel room making PSs (or whatever they were called 9 years ago), and not having too much trouble. So it didn't used to be so hard. That's the DDp and free DDP for you I guess.
Some people above have suggested they need more TS restaurants. It's obvious when you think about it...